Light and Darkness II
by smilingxqueen
Summary: Sequel to Light and Darkness: Cloud finally has a family to call his own, but the nightmares of his past keeps calling him back. Would he finally escape from his darkness?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**: This is a sequel to my previous story, "Light and Darkness". Do please check out the first story before reading on so that you would understand.. :)

**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything.

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Light. A warm feeling embraced him as he walked. His feet were buried in fresh green grass that grew vast in the endless space before him. One by one, he moved his immobile body. When he squeezed his hands, there was a soft object that he felt under his skin. His blue eyes fell on his hands to find two others clasped in each his own. Then, there was also a hand that tugged at his hair and his shirt. His blurred vision became clearer after the seconds went by. At that moment, he found out that those hands that hung onto him belonged to four separate bodies. One was of a woman, and the three others took form of children. The tiny hand that was clasped in his belonged to a blonde girl that had azure eyes like his, the hand that pulled at his shirt was that of a strawberry blonde girl that also had cerulean orbs, the hand that tugged at his hair was that of a little boy with raven black hair and sapphire eyes who sat contentedly at his shoulders, and finally the warmest hand of all belonged to a woman with braided chocolate brown hair and eyes that sparkled like emeralds. They were all smiling and laughing like there was no tomorrow. He stared at them, gingerly, and smiled too. This is his home. This is where he belonged…where he'll always belong.

_It doesn't suit you._

His eyes turned bloodshot as a familiar icy voice ran along his spine. Darkness had taken over the light and the people that surrounded him fell one-by-one. Fear and anger rose up from within him as he swiftly took the blade that hung from his back.

"Where are you?! Sephiroth!!"

_Let's play one more time, Cloud…_

Hysteric laughter rang throughout the shadows that encircled the blonde man. And he disappeared within them.

.-+-.

"Cloud, Cloud…"

Cloud quickly sat up from his bed with his sword in hand, ready to attack. A few inches from his sword's tip was a tray that was loaded with coffee, bacon and eggs and a white napkin. His sapphire eyes bored straight into a pair of emerald orbs that belonged to that woman in his dream. Grabbing his aching head, he threw his sword away and slumped into the pillows. His shaking fingers moved to cover his face in shame.

"I'm sorry…" he murmured through his cold, clammy hands. "I'm so sorry, Aerith."

"It's nothing," Aerith whispered with kindness.

She placed the tray on their bedside table and sat beside him, her hand lightly tapped his shoulder. His hand took hers and he gently pressed his lips on her fingers. The woman encircled her arms on his torso and kissed his bare back.

"You've been having nightmares, lately…"

"…"

She looked up at his blonde hair at hearing no response. It wasn't unusual for him to stay silent, but she somehow felt something was wrong.

"Are you ok?"

"…yeah," he replied softly.

"Alright then," she said with a smile. Aerith stood up and smoothened her dress of creases. "Eat your breakfast. The kids had left for school already. They wanted to say goodbye, but I thought it'd be best for you to have some rest."

Cloud smiled at her and nodded. He threw away the covers and dangled his feet from the bed. Aerith walked towards the door but she lingered on the doorway. She turned to him and beamed widely.

"Leon and the others will be at Merlin's to meet Sora, Donald and Goofy. Will you come?"

The blonde gave her an approving look and he started on his breakfast. She gave him one last smile before she disappeared in the light that came from the door. Cloud slowly placed the unfinished plate on the tray as the gate of their home closed noisily. He stood and walked towards the big mirror that hung in front of their large cabinet. He stared at his face, his hands, and his body. Cloud gritted his teeth and punched the hard wall on his right with a clenched fist.

_I could've killed her… If these go on…if these nightmares… I wouldn't know what I could've done._

The thought made him break a cold sweat. What if he'd not only harm his wife? What if he'd also harm his children? Could he bear living without the people he loves the most? There was only one thing, only one way to take those nightmares away. With a determined heart, Cloud opened his cabinet and quickly changed into his new clothes. He took his sword that lay on the floor and threw it on his back. The blonde gave their room one last long look before disappearing, too, in the light.

_I'm settling this… Wait for me, Sephiroth._


	2. Chapter 2

"Oh, Cloud!"

The blonde slightly raised his head at the familiar voice. Seeing Sora, Donald and Goofy standing in front of him, he lowered his eyes again.

"Whatcha doing?" Donald asked.

"I'll get him. This time we settle it," he said coolly. "Me, and the one who embodies all the darkness in me."

"I thought you looked kinda different, Cloud." Donald replied after further inspecting him. He did look kind of different from the first time they met him. Sora nodded his head at Donald's statement.

"If I do, it's his fault."

"Whose?" The brown-haired boy asked curiously.

"Sephiroth. Tell me if you see him."

"Okay. What's he look like?" Sora inquired again.

"Silver hair. Carries a long sword."

"Sure. Well, be seeing you, Cloud." Sora said before stepping back.

"Be careful," Cloud uncrossed his arms and stared at Sora. "He messes with your head, makes you think darkness is the only way."

"Is something wrong?"

Sora, Donald and Goofy turned to the voices' direction to see Aerith walking towards them. The blonde quickly strode forward to evade her.

"Uhhh…" Sora started.

Knowing he can't outrun her, Cloud turned back.

"It's nothing."

"Hmmm…?" She leaned towards him in an inquisitive gesture to which he inclined away.

"I don't want you involved," Cloud firmly stated.

Aerith placed her chin on top of her hands in thought. She straightened after a few moments and looked at Cloud.

"You mean you don't want me there when you go away again?"

"I just—" He stopped himself, sighed and looked forward. "Listen, even if I go far away, I'll come back."

"Do you mean it?"

Cloud averted his blonde eyes from Aerith's speculative emerald orbs. He knew he can't lie to her, but just this time…he's willing to try. "Yeah."

"See? You don't look so sure."

Cloud lowered his cerulean eyes and he turned his back on her.

"…I'm sorry," He whispered before walking away.

When he thought he could leave in peace, a warm hand enclosed his in a tight grasp. Cloud looked back to see Aerith's brows furrowed and her emerald eyes gleaming. He understood that…even without her saying it, he understood. He stopped with eyes downcast.

"I need to find the light in me," he murmured in a voice soft enough for her to hear. "In order to fight the darkness, in order to protect everyone... I must go and settle this with him, once and for all."

"But—!"

Aerith was cut off when Cloud pulled her into a tight embrace. Her eyes widened as he buried his face in her shoulder, in her fragrant hair, in her gentleness.

"I'll live… because you live, and our children live."

A tear fell from Aerith's eye as she smiled and nodded.

"Well, okay, I understand. Go—get things settled."

Cloud drew back, surprise was written all over his face at her unexpected response.

"Huh?"

The brunette wiped a stray tear from the ends of her eyes and beamed warmly at him.

"No matter how far away you are… once you find your light… I'm sure it will lead you back here again. Right?"

His eyes softened. It's true that she wasn't the kind of light that he was searching for; but, in a way, she glowed so bright that it didn't hurt his eyes. He wanted to look at her forever. Cloud showed a small smile and nodded.

"I suppose."

"So I'll stay here—and I'll cheer for you— Okay, Cloud?"

"Okay."

Without any more uncertainties, Cloud turned back and walked away. After he disappeared at a corner, Aerith once again placed her chin on top of her closed hand and sighed.

"Wonder if he'll be okay."

Sora stood beside her and grinned.

"He'll be fine. I'm sure there's some light in him somewhere."

Looking towards his direction, Aerith smiled.

"You're right."


	3. Chapter 3

Cloud and Leon stood with backs against each other as little black monsters, called the Heartless, surrounded them. There were some reports that a huge colony of Heartless were pushing towards the Restoration Site. Leon got separated from the other committee members, but he found the blue-eyed swordsman fighting the dilemma himself.

"Think you can handle this many?" The brown-haired Restoration Committee member asked Cloud.

"Well… Might be tough if one more shows up."

Leon grinned and continued, "Then that'll be the one I take care of."

"What," the blonde retorted with a hint of sarcasm. "You're fighting too?"

After building up their strength, they jump away from each other and begin decimating Heartless as they move in, sending a number of hearts floating into the sky. Cloud cleaves two and more that surrounded him, cutting him off from Leon. The blonde moved forward until the Heartless totally encircled him. He didn't bother to ask for back up because he knew he could handle them alone. When he was about to finish all of them off, a beam of light destroyed all the Heartless in one blow. He turned to the source of the attack and froze when he saw a silver-haired man smirking deviously at him.

"Sephiroth!" Cloud yelled as he positioned his blade in front of his body.

The silver-haired man took several smooth, dangerous steps towards blonde and he, too, pointed his long sword at him, threateningly.

"I understand that you've been looking for me."

"Yeah," Cloud spat. "Once I get rid of you, the darkness will go away."

"Can you do it? The darkness comes from your own dark memories. Do you think you can erase your past?"

"Shut up!"

"Face it—you turn your back on the present and live in the past. Because the light of the present is too much!"

"You don't know me!"

"Cloud!"

"Huh?" The blonde turned his head towards the voice, but a flashing light blinded him. He momentarily took his left hand from his sword to shield his eyes.

"I know. Because…I am you."

With those disturbing words lingering in the air, Sephiroth vanished in a flash, spouting black feathers where he left. Cloud frantically searched for him, but the silver-haired man was nowhere in his sight. He turned towards a small pathway in the back and ran towards to it.

"Cloud! Wait!"

After the blonde disappeared in the darkness, Tifa found herself running towards his direction; unfortunately a bunch of Heartless stopped her. One comes up behind her, she quickly gives a backfist to it, and then power punches a second from the front. Another comes at her from her right, and she delivers a crescent kick. When the brunette had finished fighting the Heartless, she lost Cloud's trail.

.-+-.

"Sephiroth… Sephiroth…"

The words rang throughout the cliffs as he passed by. The blue-eyes swordsman ran through wide and narrow crevices. He ran and ran until he saw a light at the end of the dark path. Cloud stopped and he found himself overlooking Ravine Trail where a certain brown-haired boy and his two friends were barricaded by a big dark mass of creatures threatening them. He jumped down, shoving his buster sword into the ground, knocking out several Heartless.

"Sora!" He called out to assure the boy and his two friends to continue with their journey.

This was his town. He had to protect it; even if it would mean protecting it from himself.

.-+-.

When Sora, Donald and Goofy disappeared inside the Crystal Fissure, the members of the Restoration Committee defeated the last of the colony of Heartless quickly. Injured members were transported to the Borough and were healed by Aerith. The remaining members that stayed were Leon and Cloud who were assessing the expanse for any other possible attacks. While looking at the direction where Sora and his friends disappeared, there was a great flash of light, which they saw from the outskirts of town.

The brown-haired swordsman, worrying about the new official members of the Restoration Committee, walked forward in concern. "Sora! Donald! Goofy!"

"Relax. Those three aren't going down that easily," Cloud muttered and started to walk off. "The Keyblade's chosen one... He's a lucky kid."

When the blonde disappeared out of sight, the light turned into a long beam shooting into the sky. Leon lingered for a moment as he watches the light disappear.

"See you soon."


	4. Chapter 4

Outside in the Restoration Site, Cloud looked up at the sky and sees streaks of light shot up from the ground and into the sky; then, particles of light fell down like snow onto his body. There was only one possible reason for this strange phenomenon. The once forgotten Radiant Garden was brought back to life. Leon walked up to Cloud and watched the sky, mesmerized.

"That's right," he muttered in reminiscence. "I remember know."

The blonde took a few moments to breathe in and memorize the town's scent, its streets and its inhabitants. He didn't know where he'd end up or when he'd come back, but there's only one thing he knew. If everything is finished he'll find a way to come home. Saying a farewell in his thoughts he turned and walked forward; his steps echoed throughout the empty streets of Hollow Bastion as he moved towards the exit of the town.

"You're a big idiot, do you know that?"

Cloud stopped and slightly turned his head to the side. He faced the brown-haired man, Leon, with sapphire eyes stuck to the floor.

"I know," he muttered bitterly. "I'm sorry."

Leon shook his head disdainfully and shoved a hand to his pocket. He retrieved his hand back with a piece of paper between his fingertips, which he threw to the blonde. Cloud caught that thin piece of paper flawlessly and stared at it. His blue eyes fell upon a group of people with bright smiles surrounded with colorful lights that adorned their home last Christmas.

"Yuffie asked me to give it to you," Leon said while running a hand through his brown locks. "…just in case you'd be lost again."

"Sorry…"

Irritated, Leon stood in front of Cloud in a flash and punched his cheek lightly. "If you say sorry one more time, I'll punch you for real."

The brown-haired man backed down and stared at him. He knew it was hard for the blonde to leave again. He had finally found a family to be happy with, but the burden of his past was too heavy to ignore.

"If you're really sorry…come back." Leon sighed and turned back. "If you're late for just one minute, I'll take them away from you."

Cloud looked at his friend's back and smirked. After one flick of his blonde hair, he too turned back.

"Like that'll happen," he said with a wave before disappearing behind the corner of a street.

The brown-haired man grinned as a strong breeze passed by his sturdy body. After taking one last look at the horizon, he strode towards the Borough where the other members of the Restoration Committee were celebrating the birth of a new era.

.-+-.

"Very good, Night! Who helped you finished your assignment?"

"Papa!"

Cloud found himself looking inside a classroom of a small school in the town. His blue eyes glowed longingly as he watched the bright smiles of his children as they studied and played. Everything was alright now. There were no more dangers to his family and the whole town. He knew that, but he was more aware of the darkness that will he will soon face. Only if he had defeated that darkness, he will finally live in peace. With a heavy heart, the blonde left the school and proceeded to walk towards the Marketplace where he was to buy supplies for his own journey.

"Cloud!"

Cloud's eyes widened as he saw Sora, Donald and Goofy running towards him with faces that read bad news. While Sora explained everything about his encounter with Sephiroth, a palpable anxiety rose from within him.

"He's in the Dark Depths."

"I see..." Cloud sighed and composed himself. "So I guess it's time we settled this.

The blonde swordsman walked past the group silently, his face expressionless. He didn't know what's in store for him, but now was the time to finish things.

_The darkness must be destroyed._


End file.
